militarywikiaorg-20200222-history
91st Division (United States)
Powder RiverStory of the Powder River 91st Infantry Division |battles=World War I *St. Mihiel Offensive *Meuse-Argonne Offensive World War II *Italian Campaign |notable_commanders= MG Daniel C. Balough |decorations= |website=91st Training Division |commander1= BG James T. Cook |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label=Distinctive Unit Insignia }} The 91st Infantry Division (variously nicknamed as the "Pine Tree Division" or "Wild West Division") was a unit of the United States Army that fought in World War I and World War II. From 1946 until 2008, it was a part of the U.S. Army Reserve. It was briefly inactivated from 2008 until 2010 when it was elevated back to a division size element as the 91st Training Division (Operations). History World War I and after Constituted on 5 August 1917 at Camp Lewis, Washington, near Tacoma, the division soon thereafter departed for England in the summer of 1918. In September 1918, the division's first operation was in the St. Mihiel Offensive in France. Serving under the U.S. Army's V Corps, the division fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and successfully helped to destroy the German First Guard Division and continued to smash through three successive enemy lines. Twelve days before the end of World War I, the division, as part of the VII Corps, helped drive the Germans east across the Escaut River. The division was awarded separate campaign streamers for its active role in the Lorraine, Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys campaigns. In 1919, the 91st was inactivated at the Presidio of San Francisco. After being reconstituted in 1921 as part of the Organized Reserves, the division then served as an administrative control center for the next 21 years. World War II As the first battles of World War II involving the United States were being fought in 1942, the division was reactivated at Camp White, Oregon. After initial training at Camp White, the division participation in the Oregon Maneuver combat exercise in the fall of 1943.Kramer, George, “Camp White”, The Oregon Encyclopedia, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, 23 October 2010.Brogan, Phil F., East of the Cascades (Third Edition), Binford & Mort, Portland, Oregon, 1965, pp. 272–275. Then, the division departed for the European Continent. There, the 361st Regimental Combat Team was detached to participate in the battles for Rome and the Arno River. It became the first Fifth Army unit to reach the river. In September 1944, the division crossed the Sieve River, outflanked the famous Gothic Line, and captured the Futa Pass. For its part in combat, the division was awarded the North Apennines, Po Valley and Rome-Arno campaign streamers. The division was inactivated at Camp Rucker, Alabama, in December 1945. WWII Statistics- Awards: MH-2 ; DSC-2 ; DSM-1 ; SS-528; LM-33; SM-43 ; BSM-4,152. Theater:Mediterranean Casualties: 8,744 (casualties are number of killed, wounded in action, captured, and missing) Days of Combat: 271 Campaign(s): Rome-Arno (22 Jan 44 - 9 Sep 44) North Apennines (10 Sep 44 - 4 April 45) Po Valley (5 Apr 45 - 8 May 45) Army Reserve In December 1946, the 91st was reactivated at the Presidio of San Francisco as part of the U.S. Army Reserve. In 1959, the division was reorganized and redesignated as the 91st Division (Training). In 1993, the division was again reorganized and redesignated as the 91st Division (Exercise) and again in 1999 as the 91st Division (Training Support). Its previous headquarters were at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA), Dublin, California. In its 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations, the Department of Defense recommended relocating the 91st Division to Fort Hunter Liggett. The four Brigades of the 91st Division were redesignated as separate brigades: *1st Brigade (PRFTA) is now 5th Brigade, 75th Division. *2nd Brigade (Fort Carson) is now 5th Armored Brigade. *3rd Brigade (Travis AFB) is now the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade. *4th Brigade (Fort Lewis) is now 191st Infantry Brigade. The 91st Division moved its headquarters to Fort Hunter Liggett on 1 May 2009. The 91st Division was reorganized and re-designated as the 91st Training Brigade (Operations) on 1 October 2009. The 91st Training Brigade (Operations) was re-designated as the 91st Training Division (Operations) on 1 October 2010. Famous Members Army Catholic Chaplain William Borders was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, while serving with the 362 Infantry Regiment in bitter fighting in Italy. He later became the Archbishop of Baltimore. References External links * 91st DIV (TS) – Web Site *The Story of the 91st Division 1919 * 91st Infantry Division, World War I-World War II Unit History * 91st Division official lineage & honors * The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950 reproduced at CMH. http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cbtchron.html * [http://www.merriam-press.com/answeringthecall.aspx Answering the Call, Stephen L. Wilson, 2007. Merriam Press.] 091st Infantry Division, U.S. Infantry Division, U.S. 091st Category:United States Army divisions of World War I Category:Military units and formations established in 1917 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2008